Oil containment boom

ABSTRACT

An oil containment boom comprising an elongated strip of corrugated metal which is formed from a plurality of sections secured together end-to-end. The corrugated metal is disposed substantially vertically in a body of water and floated therein with suitable flotation means. In one form of the invention, the flotation means comprises a strip of plastic material adhesively secured to the corrugated metal. In another form of the invention, the previously described flotation means is supplemented with the aid of outrigger or stabilizer floats which extend generally laterally outwardly from the corrugated metal strip. Weights may be attached to the corrugated metal strip to vary the freeboard height of the floating boom.

United States Patent 1 Markel et al.

3,731,491 May 8, i973 [54] OIL CONTAINMENT BOOM OTHER PUBLICATIONS Oceanindustry, June 1970, p. 60.

[75] Inventors: Arthur L. Markel; J. Robert R.

Barter, both of Miami, Fla.

[73] Assignee: Reynolds Submarine Services Cor- Primary Examiner-Davldwlmamowsky poralion Miami PM Assistant Examiner David H. CorbinAttorney-Warren N. Low et a1. Oct. 12, 1971 [22] Filed:

Appl. No.: 188,324

An oil containment boom comprising an elongated strip of corrugatedmetal which is formed from a plu- [52] US. Cl.

61/1 F, 61/5 M1302) 15/04 rality of sections secured togetherend-to-end. The 61/] F 5 corrugated metal is disposed substantiallyvertically in a body of water and floated therein with suitable flota-[51] llnt.Cl...................... [58] Field 0fSearch...........

tion means. In one form of the invention, the flotation means comprisesa strip of plastic material adhesively secured to the corrugated metal.In another form of I [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTSinvention, the previously described flotation means is supplemented withthe aid of outrigger or stabilizer floats which extend generallylaterally outwardly from the corrugated metal strip. Weights may beattached to the corrugated metal strip to vary the freeboard height ofthe floating boom.

the

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INWINTORS ARTHUR L. MARKEL J. ROBERT R. HARTER ATTORNEYS Patented Maj 8,1973 '2 Shets-Sheet 2 q llrlllllilllllll tllnlinllil OIL CONTAINMENTBOOM This invention relates to an oil containment boom and, moreparticularly, to such a boom formed primarily from corrugated sheetmetal stock material.

In recent years an increasing amount of attention has been paid to meansfor diminishing the pollution of our harbors, waterways and high seascaused by the presence of oil slicks thereon deposited either by thewanton acts of certain individuals or by accident. One generallyrecognized procedure for removal of these oil slicks is to contain orconcentrate an oil spillage with the aid of a floating boom means andthen pump or draw in the contained oil into a suitable apparatus forseparating oil from water.

One such suitable apparatus for separating oil from water is illustratedand described in my copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 833,105,filed June 13, 1969, entitled METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATINGFLUIDS HAVING DIFFERENT DEN- SITIES now U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,392.

While it has been generally known to contain or concentrate oilspillages with floating boom members, none possess the relativesimplicity of the present invention insofar as stock materials fromwhich the boom is formed, or the ease and rapidity with which the boommay be deployed, returned to the side of a boat and cleaned.

In accordance with the present invention, an oil containment boom isformed into an elongated strip of corrugated metal by securing togethersections of corrugated sheet metal in end-to-end fashion. The corrugatedsheet metal is preferably corrugated aluminum sheet, such as alloy 3003as designated by The Aluminum Association. The corrugations in thealuminum sheet material are oriented vertically to provide floatingflexibility in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

A single strip of plastic material provides the required flotation togive the fence-like boom about one foot of freeboard and provides areserve buoyancy of approximately 100 percent. The fence-like boom maybe constructed in continuous sheets 100 feet or longer by about fourfeet or greater in width. The freeboard may be varied up to one half ofthe vertical height of the boom for heavy sea conditions.

By way of a specific example, one boom made in accordance with thepresent invention weighed approximately 2.5 pounds per lineal foot. Forstorage, 100 linear feet of the boom was compactly received on a spool45 inches by 4 feet in diameter. The boom may be launched by unspooling,or in quick deployment operations, by dropping it from an aircraft orvessel in a compact, coiled cylinder. When floating, a girth strap isreleased, the fence or boom unwinds itself and is ready for use.

The bottom of the fence-like boom is weighted to provide a goodmetacentric height and stability in a seaway. For use in rough seaconditions, small lightweight stabilizer or outrigger floats may bebolted to the boom to provide further reserve flotation and a rightingmoment arm to each side of the boom. The stabilizer or outrigger. floatsmay be attached at regular intervals such as 6 foot intervals.

The side of the boom not containing the plastic flotation means wouldnormally be the side of the boom exposed to the oil slick. Therefore,there is provided a smooth surface for easy cleaning when operations arefinished. In order to attach one section of the boom to another,flexible fabric reinforced rubber couplings may be utilized or thesections may be bolted together.

The inherent advantages and improvements of the present invention willbecome more readily apparent upon considering the following detaileddescription of the invention and by reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view, fragmentary in nature, illustrating theunreeling of an oilcontainment boom of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the deployment of an oilcontainment boom behind a small boat;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a portion of the oil containment boomof the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view taken in vertical cross section along line4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of oilcontainment boom; and,

FIG. 6 is an elevational view taken in vertical cross section along line66 of FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIGS. 1--4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a boomindicated generally at 10 formed from corrugated aluminum sheet material12. FIG. 1 il lustrates one method by which the boom may be introducedinto a body of water from a spool means 14. The latter is supported atthe stern of a ship indicated generally at 16. The spool means 14 issupported by a suitable holder means 18 and is rotatable on axle 20. r

In FIG. 2, the boom 10 has been deployed and is being pulled by asuitable cable means attached to the end of the boom so as to contain anoil slick or the like on the surface of the body of water. Oilcontainment booms made in accordance with the present invention havebeen towed at speeds up to 4 knots per hour.

A plastic floating means 22 is suitably attached to the sheet ofcorrugated aluminum 12 as it is being unwound from spool 14 such as bymeans of a contact ceminum sheet 12 are shown to be provided with holes28 through which may be received suitable bolts 29 and wing nutassemblies in order to secure the sheets together. Other suitable meansmay be used to join the sheets together. The corrugations areillustrated at 30 for the corrugated aluminum sheet material 12. Thesecorrugations are oriented vertically in order to provide floatingflexibility in both the vertical and horizontal planes for the boom 10.

By way of illustration, and without limitation, one boom was constructedin accordance with the present invention from corrugated aluminum sheetwith the sheet being formed from alloy 3003 H 34 as designated by TheAluminum Association. The sheet had a thickness of 0.024 inches, acorrugation depth of 0.875 inches and a corrugation spacing of 2.66inches. The boom had a width of 48 inches measured from top T to bottomB in FIG. 3 and a weight per linear foot of 2.75 pounds. Each section ofcorrugated aluminum sheet was 100 feet in length. This produced afreeboard of about 16 inches and a draft of about 32 inches when theboom was disposed in a body of water. The tensile strength for the boomwas in excess of 1 ton and the plastic floating means 22 was formed fromnitrile rubber base monocellular foam. The boom had a reserve buoyancyof 100 percent. Horizontal flexibility was provided by the verticalcorrugations 30 and vertical stability was also provided from thevertical corrugations and metacentric height.

A modified embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. and 6 especially useful inheavy sea conditions. Reference to these figures shows the use ofstabilizer or outrigger floats 32 suspended or extending generallylaterally outwardly from spars 34 which are affixed to boom with the aidof C-shaped clamps 36 and a bolt and nut assembly 38. Preferably, theC-shaped clamps 36 fit into corrugations 30. The distance D in FIG. 5between the attachment of adjacent pairs of stabilizer or outriggerfloats between the C-shaped clamps is preferably regular and in one boomconstruction was 6 feet.

It will be apparent that the oil containment boom of the presentinvention uses no longitudinal cables or other strengthening members.Nevertheless, its tensile strength of the metal sheet is well in excessof a ton.

The flexibility afforded by the corrugations provides sea-keepingcompliance and increases the booms effective strength. The increasedsurface area of the corrugation tends to have an adhesive effect causingoil to adhere to it at the water line.

All metallic components of the containment device are preferablygalvanically compatible for long life in a salt water environment.

While the invention has been described with respect to the containmentof an oil slick, this description is to be taken symbolically in thatthe invention is applicable to the containment of any substance orobjects on or near the surface of the water provided that the substancesor objects have densities less than water.

The most important single feature of this invention is that the sheetmetal be corrugated. Thus it can be shown by relatively straightforwardstress analysis and by considering the boom to be a vertically disposedbeam acted upon at right angles thereto by the current force of thewater that the stiffness of the boom is markedly increased bycorrugating it. Calculations on a section of a boom whose thickness if0.024 inches whose width is 0.75 inches and whose length (depth inwater) is 36 inches and assuming expansion of a 0.875

inches corrugation to 0.75 inches (well within its elastic p ovi de alength greatly in excess of its width,

. said elongate strip havlng a first corrugated side which issubstantially smooth and unencumbered and which is adapted to bepresented to oil slicks or the like when said strip is positioned in abody of water thereby facilitating cleaning thereof when said strip isremoved from said body of water, b. flotation means consisting of asubstantially continuous, elongated strip of plastic foam materialadhesively secured to a second corrugated side of said elongated stripopposite from said first smooth and unencumbered corrugated side,

. means to vary the freeboard height of said elongated strip ofcorrugated aluminum alloy sheet metal with said means consisting ofweights attached to said elongated strip on said second corrugated sidethereof opposite from said first smooth and unencumbered corrugatedside,

. a plurality of C-shaped clip means attached serially to the top ofsaid elongated strip when said strip is disposed in a body of water,each of said clip means being shaped to fit the corrugations of saidelongated strip with said elongated strip being disposed between thelegs of said clip means, attachment means extending through alignedapertures in said legs and elongated strip for securing said clip meansto said elongated strip,

. a series of pairs vof spar members, each of said clip means havingadjacent ends .of one of said pairs of spar members received thereinwith the respective other ends extending laterally outwardly on oppositesides of said elongated strip,

f. and auxiliary stabilizer float members attached to the other ends ofeach pair of spar members.

1. An oil containment boom comprising a. an elongated strip ofcorrugated aluminum alloy sheet metal formed solely from a singlethickness of corrugated sheet sections secured end-to-end to provide alength greatly in excess of its width,
 1. said elongated strip having afirst corrugated side which is substantially smooth and unencumbered andwhich is adapted to be presented to oil slicks or the like when saidstrip is positioned in a body of water thereby facilitating cleaningthereof when said strip is removed from said body of water, b. flotationmeans consisting of a substantially continuous, elongated strip ofplastic foam material adhesively secured to a second corrugated side ofsaid elongAted strip opposite from said first smooth and unencumberedcorrugated side, c. means to vary the freeboard height of said elongatedstrip of corrugated aluminum alloy sheet metal with said meansconsisting of weights attached to said elongated strip on said secondcorrugated side thereof opposite from said first smooth and unencumberedcorrugated side, d. a plurality of C-shaped clip means attached seriallyto the top of said elongated strip when said strip is disposed in a bodyof water, each of said clip means being shaped to fit the corrugationsof said elongated strip with said elongated strip being disposed betweenthe legs of said clip means, attachment means extending through alignedapertures in said legs and elongated strip for securing said clip meansto said elongated strip, e. a series of pairs of spar members, each ofsaid clip means having adjacent ends of one of said pairs of sparmembers received therein with the respective other ends extendinglaterally outwardly on opposite sides of said elongated strip, f. andauxiliary stabilizer float members attached to the other ends of eachpair of spar members.